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negs vs pros.

Hi! My beautiful DD is almost 1!! Time flies!! I am considering weaning b/c I just found out I am prego--and would like a break between babies. My doc said there are no reasons to bf after 12 months. Is he right?

Also, when I wean, can I replace our normal feedings with whole milk? If so, do I use a bottle or sippy cup?

Re: negs vs pros.

Originally Posted by juliabshull

Hi! My beautiful DD is almost 1!! Time flies!! I am considering weaning b/c I just found out I am prego--and would like a break between babies. My doc said there are no reasons to bf after 12 months. Is he right?

Also, when I wean, can I replace our normal feedings with whole milk? If so, do I use a bottle or sippy cup?

Thank you for your help!!

I know that it is said that bf for the first year is ideal. Some women chose to go past a year, I would like to myself but IMO, I don't think that there is anything wrong with it if you chose to stop or if you want to continue, it is all up to you. You made it a year and that is super

I have heard that you can give whole milk after 1 yrs old, just with ped dr just to be sure, and I would use a sippy cup, and imo with handles to help them with it. this way they can get used to drinking from a cup.

Re: negs vs pros.

Your doctor is certainly NOT correct in saying that there are NO reasons to nurse past 12 months. There are MANY reasons to continue nursing a toddler. Of course, there are also reasons why many women decide to wean, especially in the case of a pregnancy. So, in this situation any mom has to way the reasons to continue nursing and against the reasons to stop and decide what is best for her and her family.

As for reasons to continue nursing after 12 months -- First, breastmilk continues to provide excellent nutrition for a toddler. Yes, it is ok to give cow's milk at this point (provided your baby isn't allergic to it), but that doesn't mean that cow's milk suddenly becomes BETTER at one year, just that the baby is now old enough to handle cow's milk. Breastmilk continues to be a great source of fat and protein as well as many vitamins and minerals. Second, breastmilk continues to provide important antibodies for a toddler. Just as with infants, breastfed toddlers get sick less often and tend to have illnesses that are less severe and shorter in duration. Many mothers have reported that when their toddlers' contracted a stomach virus, they were able to nurse and keep down breastmilk while any other nourishment couldn't be tolerated. Third, many mothers continue to nurse because it continues to benefit toddlers emotionally. As babies get older, nursing often becomes less about the milk and more about a reliable familiar way to stay close and reconnect with mom. Nursing can cure boo-boos and calm tantrums. It can help increasingly independent toddlers to continue to feel secure in attachment to mom. Finally, some mothers have reported that tandem nursing (continuing to nurse an older baby while also nursing a newborn) can help with sibling rivalry.

On the other side, there are several reasons why many mothers decide to wean during a pregnancy. One is, as you suggested, they'd like to have a bit of a break before starting to nurse the new baby. One of the most common reasons, I think, is that pregnancy can cause nipple soreness. Many mothers find it too painful to continue nursing. Also, fatigue and morning sickness can make it difficult at times. Some mothers are not comfortable with the idea of tandem nursing, and so want to wean the older baby before the new one arrives. Finally, some babies will self-wean at some point because pregnancy usually causes a decrease in milk supply (sometimes to the point of producing very little milk at all), or changes the taste of the milk.

You can check out the sections of these boards about tandem nursing and nursing during pregnancy to get some more information and other perspectives. I have not gone through this as I only have one child and am not pregnant, but I think it would be a difficult decision to make. Congratulations on your pregnancy!

Re: negs vs pros.

I agree with the pp....there are lots of good things than can come out of continuing to bf after your child turns 1. However, you are the parent, and needing a break is understandable!

As for whole milk and the sippy/bottle....If your lo is already nearly a year old, skip the bottle. You may need to try several different sippies before your lo finds one that she likes. With all three of my kids, we went through probably 3-4 different brands before they found one that they liked. My kids actually hated the ones with handles, and although many moms swear by the Avent sippies, my kids hated those too. Anyway, the point is, don't stock up on one brand before you figure out what your dd will use.

If you haven't introduced a sippy yet, it will likely take a little time. Be patient and don't force the issue. For all my kids, it took a few months before they truly got the hang of it.

Re: negs vs pros.

some moms find with a little bit of help baby will wean before the new baby comes.
This was true between my 3rd and 4th children.
IF your ready try to wean slowly with love. Start with the feed your child likes the least and then the last to go would be right before bed.. It might take a few months.